🔫 Russian national exploits legal loophole to import guns

Anton Parygin, a 45-year-old Russian man with both Canadian and Israeli citizenship, has potentially found a loophole in the Cayman Islands' Firearms Act. Parygin, who moved to the Cayman Islands for work, brought with him three unlicensed guns: a 9mm semi-automatic rifle, a 9mm pistol, and a 12-gauge shotgun. He was arrested shortly after his arrival, facing multiple charges related to importing and possessing illegal weapons. However, a judge ruled that an exception in the law, primarily intended for transient travellers on private planes and boats, might apply to his case. 🏛️

Before his arrival, Parygin had communicated with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) about importing these weapons and was informed that he would need to apply for an importation permit and a firearms licence. His defense argued that Parygin had interpreted the Firearms Act to mean that he could bring his weapons with him and declare them to customs, who would then hold the guns until he made the necessary applications to the RCIPS. The prosecution argued that this section of the law was intended only for travellers passing through and not for people importing weapons permanently. 📚

Despite Parygin disregarding the directions given by the RCIPS, the judge found in his favour, stating that the law is not clear and that the defendant was entitled to presume that the section of the law applied to him. The case has been adjourned, with an application for an abuse of process argument set for March when the case is expected to continue. ⚖️